Q5: Just ask the 'Doctor for the Day'

Immaculata High School students recently participated in the Doctor for a Day program.

Rimsie McConiga

Immaculata High School students recently participated in the Doctor for a Day program.

1. Can you tell us about the Doctor for a Day program? How many students from Immaculata were chosen to participate?Doctor for a Day provides high school students with the opportunity to explore the world of internal medicine, the specialty dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of disease in adults.Students spend the day learning from physicians who perform transplants, diagnose heart conditions, treat sepsis and work in other subspecialties. The lectures and demonstrations are designed to promote active learning. At day's end, participants work with a faculty member to solve a medical mystery. Students also have the opportunity to learn about careers in medicine, including the process of gaining admission to medical schools.Five students from Immaculata High School were chosen, they were Mary Kate Wolken, Ellie Wolk, Phillip Hernandez, Madison Eddy, and Liz LeeThere were a total of 44 students who participated in the program.

2. Since the University of Kansas usually only picks two students from each high school to take part in this program, is it a great honor to have more than two accepted and do you think it's a reflection of the motivation of teachers at Imac? I would absolutely credit the Imac teachers for encouraging our interested students to apply. Casey Wolosyn, Human Anatomy & Physiology, Julie Bergkamp, Chemistry and Physics, recommended this opportunity to their students, while English teachers, Barb Scherer and Liberty Usera worked with the students on their application essays. All the Imac teachers have prepared our students well for such opportunities through the rigor in curriculum and high expectations across the board in all classes that our students are held accountable to on a daily basis.Miss Wolosyn accompanied the group for the day and reported that the Imac students stood out among others in their willingness to participate, share their knowledge, and volunteer for activities.

3. What were the qualifications used to choose the students?For the application process the students had to write two essays, " What qualities make you a good candidate for this program?" and "What do you see as the greatest health care need at the local, regional, and worldwide level; and what would you, as a doctor, do to make a difference in health care?"Their GPA and classes that they have taken all were a contributing factor.

4. On the actual Doctor for a Day day, what sorts of activities were the students involved in?Students participated in: 1. Four different lectures a. Blood and Marrow Transplantsb. Diabetes Mellitus: How Sweet It Isn'tc. Electrocardiograms: One of the Oldest Tests in Cardiology d. "Coach, I Can't Breath: Asthma and Exercise Induced Bronchospasm"2. They were broken into groups for lunch where they were able to sit at a table with doctors and medical students to ask questions3. They were able to participate in an open forum of med-students and doctors to ask any questions they had4. They participated in "Breakout Session" that were all hands-on learning experiencesa. Spirometry-lung function and testing for Asthmab. EKGc. Intubation - They were able to bag and intubate practice dummiesd. The Stem Cell Laboratory 5. They got to participate in a Medical Mystery, where they worked through a case with a doctor to find out what was wrong with the patient. 6. They were able to speak with and ask question to the associate dean to find out the path they need to be taking to set them up for the med-school application process.

5. What do you think that most of the students who participated took away from this unique experience and do you think this will encourage some of them to actually become doctors someday?Ellie Wolk "I learned a lot, the whole experience reinforced that I wanted to be a doctor. "It taught me to not be intimidated by how hard it might be, but to just do what I love."Liz Lee "It was great to get involved in the process of diagnosis."I walk away from this experience being confident in my choice to go to medical school."Mary Kate Wolken " I am grateful for this opportunity, and feel strongly encouraged to continue into the medical field. "Listening to various specialists and current medical school students, along with the hands on activities, provided me with the insight and confidence to pursue this career."

Sister Publications

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
The Leavenworth Times - Leavenworth, KS ~ 422 Seneca St., Leavenworth, KS 66048 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service